X-amining X-Men Unlimited #10

"Need to Know"

 March 1996

In a Nutshell
Dark Beast captures Beast in order to take his place amongst the X-Men.

Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Frank Toscano & Nick Gnazzo
Inks: Art Thibert
Letterer: Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Matt Webb
Separations: Malibu
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Determined to learn more about his counterpart in order to better hide from Mr. Sinister amongst the X-Men, Dark Beast visits Beast's now-elderly principal and learns about young Beast's insatiable curiosity, then kills him. Meanwhile, at the X-Mansion, Beast continues his near-obsessive study of the Legacy Virus, much to the growing consternation of his teammates, unaware that Dark Beast has hacked his computers. As he observes Beast, Dark Beast injects himself with a serum, triggering further physical changes. Later, posing as Beast, he meets with Mindy, a high school sweetheart of Beast's. Learning what he can from her, he kills her, too. At the X-Mansion, Iceman tries to get Beast to take a break, but he refuses. Elsewhere, Dark Beast meets with Beast's priest and, after a brief interview, blows up the church. At his lair, he continues to experiment on himself, further changing his appearance. He proceeds to visit Beast's parents, but finds himself unable to kill them. Later, a message appears on Beast's computer screen with information about the Legacy Virus; determined to find the source, Beast tracks it to the abandoned Brand Corporation building. Dark Beast is waiting, and the two fight. Learning of the deaths Dark Beast has perpetuated, Beast snaps, becoming more beast-like than ever, but Dark Beast snaps him back to his senses by telling him that if Dark Beast dies, Beast will never learn where he came from. This gives Dark Beast an opening to knock Beast out. He awakens to find himself being walled up by Dark Beast. He pleads with Dark Beast, asking him why he's doing this, but Dark Beast simply says "because" as he lays the last brick.

X-amining Cable #29

 "Man in the Mirror"

March 1996

In a Nutshell

After learning about his tremendous power, Cable sets out in search of Nate Grey. 

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Penciler: Ian Churchill

Inker: Scott Hanna 

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft 

Colorist: Mike Thomas

Separations: Graphic Color Works

Editor: Mark Powers

Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot

Cable greets Blaquesmith, who has come to the X-Mansion for a summit to discuss Nate Grey along with Professor X, Cyclops, Phoenix, and Moira MacTaggart. Moira shares information on Nate culled from their recent encounter, and theorizes that his power levels may rival or exceed that of Dark Phoenix. This sparks a series of discussions, but given the dearth of information about Nate's origins. they quickly reach an impasse. This prompts Blaquesmith to freeze the discussion, wiping all memory of it from everyone's minds except for Cable and him. Cable is upset, but Blaquesmith insists it's better that fewer people know of his existence. Cable resolves to go after Nate alone, but makes Blaquesmith promise that if he doesn't return, Blaquesmith will unlock everyone's memories of the day. Blaquesmith wishes Cable a good journey, then Cable departs for a confrontation with X-Man! 

X-amining Excalibur #95

"Amplified Heart"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Nate Grey gets yelled at by Moira.

Writer; Warren Ellis
Artist: Carlos Pacheco
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Separations: Malibu Hues
Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Following an explosion, Excalibur converges on Muir Island's communications room, where Nate Grey is accusing Moira MacTaggart of running a shady operation to experiment on mutants. But Moira stands up for herself, and admonishes Nate for consistently reacting to half-truths from untrustworthy sources. She opens her mind to him, and he sees the truth: that his own powers - not Moira or Xavier or anyone else - will kill him before he turns 21. Excalibur then tries to calm him down further, allowing him to read all their minds to show him their commitment to helping mutants and improving the world. Convinced he was in the wrong and that neither Moira nor Excalibur is out to get him, he flies off, leaving Moira to wonder if he'll live long enough to ever return.

X-amining Generation X #13

"It's All Relative"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Monet stands alone against Emplate and his allies

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciler: Tom Grummett
Inker: Mark Buckingham
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Steve Buccellato & Electric Crayon
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Though shocked to find her classmates captives of her brother, Monet is able to escape from Emplate as he turns his attention to Chamber. Though Gayle objects, saying Chamber belongs to her, Emplate has them both buried up to their necks in the ground. Meanwhile, Monet is able to get a call for help out before she's attacked by one of Emplate's minions, Bulwark. As Jubilee does her best to distract Emplate and keep him from feeding on Banshee, Monet & Bulwark's fight takes into the biosphere, where Leech is able to suppress Bulwark's power, allowing Monet to knock him out. She tells Leech & Artie to stay put, then flies off, but is attacked by Vincente. As she falls to the ground choking Bishop suddenly appears, telling Monet that she called for him, and he came.

X-amining Wolverine #99

"Of Mythic Metal Forged"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Wolverine is captured by the Dark Riders, who intended to rebond his bones with adamantium!

Script: Larry Hama
Guest Penciler: Val Semeiks
Guest Inkers: Dan Green, Dan Panosian, Chad Hunt
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Joe Rosas
Separations: Malibu's Hues
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Wolverine & Zoe Culloden emerge from the Madripoor warp chamber in Akkaba, birthplace of Apocalypse. Spotting Chimera's trail, she tells Wolverine she'll meet him at Apocalypse's former citadel, then departs. Just then, the young mutant Jamil appears, offering to guide Wolverine to the citadel. Meanwhile, in Madripoor, Cannonball, on the trail of Wolverine, is accosted by a group of thugs amidst the wreckage of the Princess Bar, but they are chased off by Tyger Tiger. In Egypt, the citadel emerges from the sand as Wolverine & Jamil draw closer, and Wolverine, sensing Jamil is leading him into a trap, breaks off, entering the place his own way. Back in Madripoor, Tyger Tiger brings Cannonball to the Landau, Luckman & Lake warp chamber door, and sends him through to Egypt. In the citadel, Wolverine observes the Dark Riders herding prisoners into the citadel, as Cannonball takes off, following Wolverine & Jamil's footsteps towards the citadel. Inside, Wolverine is spotted by Dirt Nap, who brings him before Genesis. After Wolverine is captured, Genesis reveals he intends to brainwash him into serving as the captain of the Dark Riders, once they've completed bonding the adamantium taken from the deceased Cyber to Wolverine's bones!

X-amining X-Force #52

"Bad Girls"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Domino, Siryn & Meltdown fight Blob

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Penciler: Adam Pollina
Inker: Bud LaRosa
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins
Color Enhancement: Electric Crayon
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Domino, Siryn & Meltdown have returned to Camp Hayden, site of the aborted Nimrod project, to ensure the project has indeed been shutdown. But they find the entire facility empty, with the word "Onslaught" scrawled on one of the walls. Just then, an enormous Blob - displaying a finer control of his mutant abilities - drops into the facility, attacking them. Meanwhile, Warpath & Shatterstar spar in the Danger Room, with Shatterstar worrying that as he grows more human, he is losing his fighting edge. Back at Camp Hayden, Blob, claiming to serve Onslaught, quickly gains the upper hand, until Meltdown's new attitude and control over her powers forces him to stand down. The ladies of X-Force ponder what to do with him, just as Mimic - his powers also surprising stable - flies in and carries out Blob. In New York, Caliban & Sunspot arrive outside Gideon's building, responding to a call for help he made to Sunspot. Just then, Gideon flies out an upper story window and crashes to the ground in front of them, dead.

X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #50

"Full Court Press"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Cyclops, Storm, Iceman & Wolverine are captured by Post, herald of Onslaught!

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Andy Kubert
Inker: Cam Smith
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Separations: Electric Crayon
Editor: Bob Harras

Plot
Waking up in a strange location with no memory of how they got there, Cyclops, Storm, Iceman & Wolverine are shocked by the apparent damage they've sustained: Cyclops is missing his visor, while Iceman is missing a sizeable chunk of his chest. Back at the X-Mansion, Xavier awakens to find Gateway on the verge of teleporting him away. Quick action from Bishop & Phoenix knock out Gateway. Meanwhile, Wolverine senses the presence of a cloaked figure, and is able to force a mutant named Post to reveal himself. He briefly battles the X-Men, stating that Onslaught is impressed, before re-cloaking himself. At the X-Mansion, Xavier & Jean attempt to telepathically interrogate a revived Gateway, but are unable to do so, and the assembled X-Men are probed by a violent psionic entity. As the missing X-Men continue their fight with Post, Beast reasons they were captured specifically because their powers are not psionic in nature. Just then, Cyclops & Wolverine are able to pierce Post's armor, completing Onslaught's test and sending the four captive X-Men back home.After they arrive, the psionic entity addresses Gateway, telling him that while he thought these beings would serve as the last line of defense against the coming danger, he was wrong. Their victory today was minimal at best: Post was the weakest of Onslaught's emissaries, and his coming will be the X-Men's devastation!

X-amining Storm #1-4

"Sunburst & Snowblind" / "The Ghost Has No Home" / "The Tinderbox of a Heart" / "She Will Destroy You
February - May 1996

In a Nutshell
Storm is transported to the Hill, where she encounters Mikhail Rasputin and a new Gene Nation.

Story/Dialogue: Warren Ellis
Artist/Storyteller: Terry Dodson
Inkers: Karl Story
Letters: Ricjard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Rosas/Lenshoek, Ariane Lenshoek (issues #2 & 4), Lenshoek & Hoston (issue #3)
Separations: Malibu Hues
Editor: Suzanne Gaffney
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Issue #1: Struggling with her recent murder of Marrow, Storm asks Cable to show her the Ceremony of Light, so she might apologize to the dead Morlocks for failing them. As the she performs the ceremony, a dimensional portal opens, pulling her through. When Cable returns to the site of the ceremony, he finds a disfigured corpse and no psychic trace of Storm; he informs the X-Men she has died. However, Storm awakens in another world, and realizes the energy effect which took her there was similar to Mikhail Rasputin's.

X-amining X-Man #13

"The Hunted Below"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Nate meets Threnody

Writer: John Ostrander
Guest Penciler: Luke Ross
Guest Inker: Rob Hunter
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Mike Thomas
Separations: Graphic Color Works
Editor: Jaye Gardner
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
Threnody is hunted through the sewers of Paris by the Marauders. After spotting an explosion triggered by their fight, Nate hears her telepathic distress and flies into the sewers, helping her escape. Meanwhile, not far away, Madelyne Pryor notices the effects of Nate's fight with the Marauders, but her curiosity about it is blunted by Selene. Back in the sewers, Threnody introduces herself to Nate, and in the process, Nate learns that Mister Sinister is alive in this world. Nate then proceeds to ambush the pursuing Marauders, leaving only Riptide alive, his mind altered to make Sinister believe Threnody perished with the rest of the Marauders. Nate & Threnody leave the sewers, but they are unknowingly still being pursued: by Cable, who is close to catching up to Nate, and won't stop until he does.

X-amining X-Factor #120

"Meeting the Maker"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
X-Factor battles the Adversary, and loses.

Writer: Howard Mackie
Guest Penciler: Mark D. Bright
Inker: Al Milgrom
Letterer: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
With the Adversary's attack imminent, Forge hands out new weapons to X-Factor, designed to counter the Adversary's magical abilities, despite Roma insisting that technology cannot defeat the Adversary. Watching from afar, the Adversary decides to hide himself within Mystique. Meanwhile, Val Cooper receives a demonstration of the new shock collar designed to help control Sabretooth, and is shocked to learn that once the device is calibrated, Sabretooth is going to join X-Factor. Back at Falls Edge, Naze suddenly appears before Forge, but he realizes it is just a shapeshifted Mystique. She proceeds to taunt Forge - transforming into one of his old army peers and Storm - before the Adversary steps out of her body. X-Factor attacks him, but the Adversary is unaffected by their weapons. He captures Roma, and reduces X-Factor to ashes, save for Forge, whose cybernetic hand and leg he destroys before departing with the captive Roma. Just then, the real Naze appears, and offers the defeated Forge the chance to destroy the Adversary, but only by reclaiming his birthright. 

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #330

"Warriors of the Ebon Night Conclusion: Quest for the Crimson Dawn"
March 1996

In a Nutshell
Wolverine, Archangel & Dr. Strang retrieve the Crimson Dawn to save Psylocke

Writer: Scott Lobdell & Jeph Loeb
Penciler: Joe Madureira
Inker: Tim Townsend
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Colors: Steve Buccellato & Team Bucce
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

Plot
As Wolverine, Archangel, & Gomurr the Ancient enter the Netherplace in search of the Crimson Dawn, they are joined by Dr. Strange's astral form. Just then, they are attacked by a group of Undercloaks, whom Wolverine's enhanced senses detect. Back at the mansion, Gambit visits the wounded Psylocke, musing that if she dies, she would take whatever secrets she pulled out of his head with her. Just then, she begins to convulse, and Gambit calls for Xavier & Beast. In the Netherplace, the heroes escape the Undercloaks and confront Tar, protector of the Crimson Dawn. As Wolverine battles Tar's minions and Beast & Xavier work to save Psylocke's life, Strange & Archangel use Wolverine's fight as a distraction, approaching the mystical vein where the Crimson Dawn resides. Dr. Strange removes from Archangel the piece of Psylocke's soul she entrusted to him via their love and places it into the Crimson Dawn. At the mansion, Psylocke suddenly starts to recover, though she now carries a strange mark over her eye. In the Netherplace, Tar sends everyone back to Earth, and though the X-Men are happy they succeeded in helping Psylocke, Strange worries that the battle for the soul of Psylocke has only begun.